Automatic guide-out for printed papers from a rolling press



A ril 11, 1967 A- 3,313,538-

AUTOMATIC GUIDE-OUT FOR PRINTED PAPERS FROM A ROLLING PRESS Filed Oct.5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 11, 1967 MASH-Os! 15" 3,313,533

AUTOMATIC GUIDE-OUT FOR PRINTED PAPERS FROM A ROLLING PRESS Filed Oct.5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

A rifi 11, 1967 MASATOS! ISH 3,313,538

AUTOMATIC GUIDE-OUT FOR PRINTED PAPERS FROM A ROLLING PRESS Filed Oct.5, 1964 v 5 Sheets-$heet 5 April E1, 1967 MAsATosz ISII 3,313,538

AUTOMATIC GUIDE-OUT FOR PRINTED PAPERS FROM A ROLLING PRESS Filed Oct.5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

MASATOSI lsll AUTOMATIC GUIDE-OUT FOR PRINTED PAPERS FROM A ROLLINGPRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 5, 1964 United States Patent 3,313,538AUTOMATIC GUIDE-OUT FOR PRINTED PAPERS FROM A ROLLING PRESS MasatosiIsii, 428 S-chorne, Kosugi-machi, Kawasaki, Japan Filed Oct. 5, 1964,Ser. No. 401,290 Claims. (Cl. 271-64) The present invention relates tocontrolled inspection particularly of a finished printed and foldedpaper sheets to assure excellent quality of printing and to avoidshortages or excesses of any particular sheet.

Heretofore, it has been customary to pull out one or more printed sheetsto inspect the quality of the printing and folding but there has notbeen an effective manner of determining the number of sheets removed forinspection and therefore it has been customary to print an excessivelylarge number of sheets to assure that there are sufficient pages to makea complete publication and even with the excess numbers of sheets beingprinted, there have been shortages so that the total number ofpublications could not be made complete without reprinting some of thepages.

An object of the present invention is to provide automatic means whichis controlled by the operator to remove a limited predetermined numberof sheets for inspection and simultaneously therewith to stop theoperation of the counting mechanism so that the counting mechanismindicates the precise number of acceptable completed sheets for thepublication.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine adaptable foruse with conventional printing and folding machines to remove a sheetfor inspection and simultaneously correcting the count of the finishedsheets to omit the sheet which has been removed for inspection.

A further object is to provide manually controlled means for removing apre-determined limited number of sheets for inspection withoutinterfering with the normal operation of the printing machine.

Another object is to provide an effective counting mechanism, whichcounting mechanism automatically compensates for removed articles.

Other and further objects will be apparent as the description proceedsand upon reference to the accompanyings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus includingthe folding cylinder, the cooperating cutting cylinder, the foldingrolls, the vane wheels for receiving the folded material, the strippersfor removing the folded material from the vane wheels, a conveyor forreceiving the folded printed material, and the rockable guide out boardsfor removing selected folded sheets for inspection;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal vertical section showing the electricalcontrol for the guide out boards and the cam and ratchet wheels with thecooperating pawls and stop for controlling the counting mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 33 ofFIGURE 1 showing the vane wheels in section and showing the controlmechanism of FIGURE 2 in plan with the ratchet wheel in section;

FIGURE 3a is a plan view taken substantially on line 3a3a showing thevane wheels, the strippers, the guide out boards and the slat table forreceiving the copies to be inspected;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken substantially on line 4-4of FIGURE 2 showing the operation of the pawl release and the stop arms;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken substantially along line 55 of FIGURE 4showing the two ratchets on the ratchet wheel and the stop arm inratchet wheel stopping position with the wedge-shaped cam element on thestop arm about to release the pawl from driving the ratchet wheel, andshowing a fragment section of the counting cam which is in the foregoingto bring out the operative relation of the elements of the ratchetwheel.

Briefly the present invention includes a plurality of arcuate-shapedguide out broads adapted to extend into the path of folding rollers toremove selected folded sheets and such boards are mounted on a rockshaft which is moved in one direction by a solenoid and moved in theother direction by a cam through suitable linkages and the solenoid andcam are operated in timed relation in response to a manually operatedswitch and a cam operated limit switch cooperating with the cam toassure timed operation of the guide out boards to remove a limitednumber of articles only and immediately restore the machine tocontinuous operating condition.

The machine also includes a counting mechanism which counting mechanismautomatically corrects for the sheets which have been removed by theguide out boards so that the opera-tor of the machine can make sure thatthe proper number -of completed sheets are produced in each instance foreach sect-ion of the completed publication.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, a printed paper 1 is fedbetween folding cylinder 2, cutting cylinder 3 with a knife 3A severingthe paper web 1 with the severed section of paper being fed to foldingrollers 4, 4' which guide the paper after the cutting to the strippers5, 5 which are arranged in upstanding relation between vane wheels 6, 6,and 6" and 6 of which vane wheels include hubs 7 keyed to shaft 8through a bushing 8A having a key 83 to the hubs 7 and a key 8C to theshaft 8, it being apparent that the strippers are mounted on a suitableframe so that the upper free ends thereof extend closely adjacent thefolding rollers 4, 4 and the mounting permits the unobstructed operationof the v-ane Wheels 6 to 6".

A frame 9, of which a fragment is shown in FIGURES 3 and 3a, rotatablysupports the shaft 8 and the other parts of the mechanism but such frameis omitted in the other figures for clarity. A conveyor 11 includes aplurality of belts passing around rolls 12 and 12 rotatably mounted onshafts 13 and 13' in a known manner with the conveyor positioned beneaththe strippers and the vane wheels to receive the papers 14 inoverlapping relation, as shown, with the direction of movement indicatedby the arrow with other arrows shown in the drawings to indicate thedirection of movement of other parts.

The automatic guide out mechanism includes parts shown in FIGURE 2 wherea source of current 15 is connected in series with a manually operatedswitch 16, a solenoid coil 18 and a cam actuated limit switch 17 withthe solenoid plunger 19 being connected to a link 19' as shown in FIGURE3 which link 19 is connected to an idler lever 24 which is pivotallymounted on the frame 9 by a pivot pin 25 with the idler lever 24 and theplunger 19 and the interconnected mechanism being biased in a directionto remove the plunger from the solenoid 18 by a spring 20 connected tothe idler lever 24 and to a fixed portion of the frame 9. The upper endof the idler lever 24 is connected by a link 23 to the upper end of alever 22 fixed to a guide out boards rock shaft 21' which fixedlysupports the lower ends of the arcuate-shaped guide out boards 21whereby when the solenoid 18 is operated the guide out boards 21 move tothe full line position and a folded sheet of printed material passesalong such guide out boards and is received on the slat table 26 whichslat table is supported on the frame by cross-member 27.

To operate the limit switch 17, a switch operating lever 28 is pivotedat 29 and spring biased by tension spring 31 to a position permittingthe switch 17 to close and such switch operating lever is provided witha roller follower 32 which engages a flange cam 33 of a cam wheel 35rotatably supported on a shaft 35A and such cam follower 32 may passinto one of the recesses 34 or 34' to permit the limit switch 17 toclose but such limit switch may close only when the follower 32 is inone of the depressions and the solenoid 18 is only operated when themanual switch 16 is closed and the switch 17 is closed and therefore theguide out boards 21 are operated only when this condition exists andthis condition exists for only two folded printed sheets since thegearing 35 to 38 which operates the cam wheel 35 is arranged so thatfifty printed sheets pass through the folding rollers 4 and 4' for onecomplete revolution of the cam wheel 35, it being apparent that the camwheel is positively driven by the gearing in timed relation to thefolding cylinder, cutting cylinder, folding rolls and vane wheels by thegear 38 fixed to the shaft 8 of the vane wheels and connected by gearing36, 37, 37 to the cam wheel 35.

Positioned on the inner surface of the cam flange 33 are opposed pawls39, 39' fixed to stub shafts 40 and 40' respectively which stub shaftsare pivotally mounted in the cam flange 33. An operating crank arm 41extending in the same direction as pawl 39 is fixed to stub shaft 40outside of the flange 33. An operating crank arm 41' extending in theopposite direction to pawl 39' is fixed to the stub shaft 40' outside ofthe cam flange 33. The free ends of the crank arms 41 and 41 areconnected by a link 42 so that the pawls 39 and 39' operate simultaneously and such pawls carry follower rollers 54, 54', respectively,which engage a cam element 53 hereinafter described.

A ratchet wheel 44 is rotatably mounted by means of a bearing 44A on thedrum portion of the cam wheel 35 and such ratchet wheel carries a firstratchet 44' which cooperates with pawls 39, 39' as such pawls are springpressed by spring 43 into engagement with the first ratchet 44' and whensuch pawls are in engagement with the ratchet 44, the ratchet wheelmoves in unison with the cam wheel 35 and this condition exists as longas the sheets are fed directly to the conveyor 11. A second ratchet 45has its ratchet teeth arranged in opposed relation to the ratchet teethof ratchet 44' but the engaging faces of the two ratchets lie insubstantially the same angular position as shown in FIGURE 4 and inFIGURE with the operative faces identified as 45A, 44'A. A stop arm 46fixedly mounted on a rock shaft 48 which is rotatably mounted insuitable bearings in the frame 9 and the tip end 47 thereof is adaptedto abut the abutment face 45A of the ratchet 45 to stop rotation of theratchet wheel 44. A wedge-shaped cam element 53 projects outwardly fromthe upper end portion of the stop arm 46 and is adapted to engage theroller 54 or 54 on the pawls 39 and 39, respectively, to cause the pawlsto move out of abutting relation with the abutment surface 44'A of theratchet 44' thereby permitting the ratchet wheel 44 to remain stationarywhile the abutment surface 47 of the stop arm 46 engages the abutmentsurface 45A of the next adjacent tooth of the ratchet 45 to preventrotation of the ratchet wheel 44. The stop arm 45 is normally in thedotted line position shown in FIGURE 5 and is held in this position by acam follower arm 49 fixed to rock shaft 48 and fixed with respect to thestop arm 45 which follower arm 49 carries a roller 50 which engages thecam flange 33 and is adapted to be received in one of the recesses 34 or34' so that the stop arm 46 can only engage the ratchet 45 when theroller 50 is received in one of the recesses.

A lever 51 is fixed on rock shaft 48 and is connected by a link 52 to anintermediate portion of the idler lever 24 whereby the guide out boards41 are positively operated when the stop arm 46 is operated whether suchoperation is caused by the solenoid 18 to bring the guide out boards tothe full line position or whether such operation is caused by the cam 50leaving the recess 34 or 34' to cause the stop arm 46 to assume thephantom line position in FIGURE 5.

A counting cam 55 shown in FIGURE 3 is a fixed portion of the ratchetwheel and therefore makes one complete rotation upon the feeding ofsheets as explained above.

From the above description it is believed that the operation should beclear and that during a printing run when it is desired to remove twosheets for inspection, the operator presses the manual switch 15 andnothing happens until the cam flange 33 moves to a position so therecess .34 or 34 receives the follower roller 32 of the limit switchoperating lever 23 to thereby permit the strut 39 to move to the fullline position shown in FIGURE 2 where the limit switch 17 is closed,thereby closing the circuit from the electrical supply 15 to thesolenoid 18 thereby causing the plunger 19 of the solenoid 18 to bedrawn into the solenoid which can only happen when the roller 54) on thefollower arm 43 fixed to the stop arm 46 and fixed to the rock shaft 48is received in cam recess 34 or 34 so that the stop tip 47 may extendinwardly to the full line position of FIGURE 5 in the path of anabutment surface 45A of the next ratchet tooth of the ratchet 45 andapproximately at the same time a cam follower roller 54 or 54 on thepawls 39 or 39' engage the wedge-shaped cam element 53 fixed to the stoparm 46 and such inter-engagement causes the pawl 39 to be moved out ofabutment contact with the abutment surface 44A of the ratchet wheel,44', thereby unclutching the pawls from the ratchet wheel so that thepawls may move with the cam wheel 35 but the ratchet wheel remainsstationary because of the abutment tip 47 engaging an abutment surface45A of the next ratchet tooth. However, as soon as the end of the recess34 or 34' is reached, the roller causes the follower arm 49 andtherefore the rock shaft 48 and the stop arm 46 to move away from thestopping position and by this time the roller 54 of the pawl 39 or 39'has passed the wedge-shaped cam element 53 and the pawl 39 or 39' isready to re-engage with the next tooth of the ratchet 44 and thisre-engagement of the ratchet pawl 39 or 39 with the ratchet tooth occursafter the feeding of two sheets to the guide out boards 21 and to theslat table 26 and the counting is resumed since the ratchet wheel againmoves and therefore operates the counting cam 55 and consequently thecounting mechanism has an accurate record of the number of sheetsdeposited on the conveyor 11 and the operator of the machine then knowshow many sheets to add to the supply to come out with the precise numberof completed sheets for completing the publication.

It will be apparent that changes may be made within the spirit of theinvention as defined by the valid scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

I. A printing machine comprising a frame cutting and folding cylinderrotatably mounted on said frame for cutting and folding printed webmaterial, folding rollers in the path of folded sheets from said foldingcylinder, an automatic folded sheet guide out device including a vanewheel shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a plurality of vane wheelsfixed to said shaft for receiving printed folded sheets, upstandingstrippers positioned between said vane wheels and mounted on said framefor engaging said folded sheets to remove said sheets from said vanewheels, a conveyor beneath said vane wheels and beneath said strippersfor receiving said folded sheets, a flanged drum cam wheel rotatablymounted on an axis parallel with said vane wheel shaft, the cam flangehaving a pair of diametrically disposed recesses, a ratchet wheelrotatably mounted on said drum first and second ratchets on said ratchetwheel, the teeth of the first ratchet being opposed to the teeth of thesecond ratchet, a pair of diametrically disposed pawls pivotally mountedon said cam flange and engageable with the teeth of the first ratchetfor causing said ratchet wheel to rotate in the same direction as saidcam wheel, a link connecting said pawls of said first ratchet to causesimultaneous operation thereof, cam followers on said pawls forcooperation with a lifting cam element to cause separation of said pawlsfrom said first ratchet, a rock shaft rockably mounted on said frame, astop arm fixed on said rock shaft, a wedgeshaped cam element on saidstop arm for cooperation with the followers on said pawls to move saidpawls out of engagement with said first ratchet, a cam follower leverfixed on said rock shaft, a roller on said cam follower lever forreception in said recesses in said cam flange whereby said cam normallyholds said stop arm out of engagement with said second ratchet, a springbiased normally closed electrical switch mounted on said frame, a switchoperating cam follower lever pivotally mounted on said frame to operatesaid switch to permit said switch to close when the follower thereofengages a recess in said cam flange, a manual switch, a solenoid and asource of power in series with said cam operated switch whereby saidsolenoid will operate when said manual switch and said cam followerswitch are closed, a lever fixed on said rock shaft, an idler leverpivotally mounted on said frame, a link extending from said lever onsaid rock shaft to said idler lever, a link interconnecting anintermediate point on said idler lever to the plunger of said solenoid,a spring normally opposing said solenoid plunger to move said levers toinoperative positions, a guide out boards supporting rock shaft mountedon said frame, a plurality of guide out boards fixed on said guide outboards supporting rock shaft and extending toward said vane wheels andadapted to extend between the vanes of said vane wheels and between saidstrippers in operative position to remove sheets and movable away fromsaid vane wheels and said strippers to inoperative position to permitsheets to be deposited on said conveyor, a lever fixed on said guide outboards rock shaft, a link interconnecting said idler lever and saidlever on said guide out boards rock shaft whereby upon rocking of saididler lever by said solenoid plunger said guide out boards will moveinto operative position and upon operation by said cam flange said guideout boards will be moved to inoperative position, and means operable bysaid ratchet wheel to count the number of printed sheets received onsaid conveyor whereby the precise number of complete printed sheets maybe known so that additional sheets may be printed to obtain the desiredtotal.

2. An automatic guide out device for printing machines having a framewith cooperating cutting and platen cylinders and folding rollersdownwardly extending strippers, vane wheels on each side of saidstrippers for receiving the folded papers, the improvement comprising acam driven in timed relation to said vane wheels, a limit switchoperable by said cam, a manual switch, a source of power and a solenoidin series with said limit switch, guide out boards adapted to bereceived between said strippers and vane wheels, a rock shaft supportingsaid guide out boards, a lever fixed to said rock shaft, link meansbetween the plunger of said rock shaft, and cam means to move said guideout boards in one direction, said solenoid serving to move said guideout boards in the other direction.

3. An automatic sheet guide out device comprising a frame, a pluralityof vane wheel's fixed to a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame forreceiving sheets, strippers positioned between said vane wheels forengaging said sheets to remove said sheets from said vane wheels, aconveyor for receiving said sheets, a guide out boards supporting rockshaft mounted on said frame, a plurality of guide out boards fixed onsaid rock shaft and extending toward said vane wheels and adapted toextend between the vanes of said vane wheels and between said strippersin operative position to remove sheets and movable away from said vanewheels and said strippers to inoperative position to permit sheets to bedeposited on said conveyor, and manually controlled means to cause saidguide out boards to move to operative position to guide out apredetermined limited number of sheets only and to then return toinoperative position.

4. The invention according to claim 3 in which means are provided tocount the number of sheets only fed to said conveyor.

5. Mechanism for operating a rock shaft for a limited time comprising acam wheel, means to rotate the cam wheel in timed relation, a cam onsaid cam wheel, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said cam wheel, aratchet clutching means operable between said ratchet Wheel and said camwheel and supported on said cam wheel to rotate said ratchet wheel, stopmeans mounted on said rock shaft to prevent rotation of said ratchetwheel, interconnecting means between said stop means and said clutchingmeans whereby said clutching means is released only after said stopmeans is in operative position causing said clutch to be released, meanson said cam to restore said stop means to inoperative position, andmeans to move said rock shaft and said stop means into operativeposition at selected times only controlled by said cam.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,084,295 1/1914Rea et a1 271-56 2,172,364 9/1939 Manna. 3,206,191 9/1965 Hantscho27l--61 X BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner.

3. AN AUTOMATIC SHEET GUIDE OUT DEVICE COMPRISING A FRAME, A PLURALITYOF VANE WHEELS FIXED TO A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME FORRECEIVING SHEETS, STRIPPERS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID VANE WHEELS FORENGAGING SAID SHEETS TO REMOVE SAID SHEETS FROM SAID VANE WHEELS, ACONVEYOR FOR RECEIVING SAID SHEETS, A GUIDE OUT BOARDS SUPPORTING ROCKSHAFT MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, A PLURALITY OF GUIDE OUT BOARD FIXED ONSAID ROCK SHAFT AND EXTENDING TOWARD SAID VANE WHEELS AND ADAPTED TOEXTEND BETWEEN THE VANES OF SAID VANE WHEELS AND BETWEEN SAID STRIPPERSIN OPERATIVE POSITION TO REMOVE SHEETS AND MOVABLE AWAY FROM SAID VANEWHEELS AND SAID STRIPPERS TO INOPERATIVE POSITION TO PERMIT SHEETS TO BEDEPOSITED ON SAID CONVEYOR,